CNE senior joins state’s elite twice in a month

One basketball was on a couch, another on a bed. At some point, Clermont Northeastern High School senior Connor Yeager said, he would write the number “1,000” and the date he received each on them, and perhaps move them to a more prominent place, more fitting of one of the best careers in Clermont County boys basketball history.

The first was earned Dec. 19, 2024, at Georgetown High School – in the first half of a 59-54 Clermont Northeastern victory over the G-Men. The second was earned Jan. 17, in a home game vs. Blanchester, on a free throw. The Rockets defeated the Wildcats 55-36 in front of a Homecoming crowd. 1,000^th career rebound a month before 1,000^th career point. Both are rare feats; the fact that the rebound mark came first even moreso.

“It’s almost unheard of,” Clermont Northeastern head coach Cory Moore said. He has been researching where Yeager stands in both Rocket and Ohio high school annals. What he found:

• Third all-time in scoring at Clermont Northeastern and likely to move up to second;

• 15^th all-time in Ohio in rebounding (one of only 30 to reach 1,000).

The Ohio High School Athletic Association website lists those who with 1,000 or more career rebounds and 2,200 or more career points. No other Clermont County athlete is on either list.

“By the end of the season, if he keeps doing what he’s doing, he’ll get to top five all-time rebounds in the state, and the top five for, I think, a single season,” Moore said. Yeager had 265 rebounds and 277 points (through the Jan. 24 East Clinton game), averaging 19.8 points and 19.1 rebounds.

While it may be unusual for a player to average more rebounds than points, particularly when the total for both is so high, it’s natural for Yeager.

“I’ve always told him (looking at Moore) and even my parents, I don’t care if we win and I have zero points, but I’d much rather get 20 rebounds and 10 assists than 20 points and 10 rebounds,” the 6-foot-5-inch senior said (he averages 3.0 assists per game).

Moore, who played at Clermont Northeastern and is in his fifth year as head coach, said Yeager “just has a knack for the ball. His ball instinct is so is above and beyond any other player that I’ve ever coached and played with. He’s just got a natural instinct to go get the ball.”

“I think it’s just wanting to do it. A lot of people don’t want to play defense, box out and get rebounds, but it’s something I take pride in, because it’s just effort,” Yeager said.

Effort shows up in other ways as well. Yeager rarely comes off the floor, unless in foul trouble, and is the Rockets’ backup point guard. “He plays 32 minutes, never touches and never gets tired,” Moore said. “He’s just very well-conditioned.”

That would be expected from a five-sport athlete (yes, five sports). Yeager plays football and soccer in the fall (he is a two-time All-Ohio punter), basketball in the winter and baseball and track and field (discus, four-by-100-meter relay and high jump) in the spring. He is also vice president of the school’s chapter of the National Honor Society and used to be a member of the Link Crew, which helps middle school students transition to high school.

Passing 1,000 rebounds and 1,000 points was just a matter of time, so nerves weren’t a factor, Yeager said. He wasn’t aware in the moment of the milestone rebound, in part because the game was away. Moore informed Georgetown personnel and game officials ahead of time and brought extra game balls, and Yeager was honored at the next timeout.

“It was a relief, like when I finally got it, because it’s just something I’ve been going for since freshman year,” Yeager said.

The 1,000th point came from the free-throw line, in front of the biggest crowd of the home season. “I didn’t know how many points I had, but when they hit the buzzer, I turned around and I knew that’s what it was. And it was pretty it was just a pretty cool moment.”

Moore didn’t run special plays for the 1,000^th point, because Clermont Northeastern’s offense already runs through Yeager, who plays both with his back to the basket and on the perimeter. “Usually he’s got a big guy on him, and he’s a lot quicker, and he can drive by those other centers in our league,” Moore said.

Yeager’s size is an advantage on the basketball court, but ironically may force him to the football field for college. He is considering going to Miami University as a punter, with a goal to study exercise science and become a physical therapist.

“If I was about three inches taller, I would say basketball (would be my preference), but just because I’m 6-4, 6-5 I’d probably say football,” he said when asked which he would prefer to play in college.

Clermont Northeastern was 8-7 overall and 7-2 in the Southern Buckeye Athletic and Academic Conference National Division after a 58-32 loss to Stivers Jan. 25. Williamsburg (7-1) led the SBAAC National, with Bethel-Tate (8-2) in second place. The Rockets have lost on the road to both teams – 51-48 at Bethel-Tate Dec. 10, 2024, 47-37 at Williamsburg Jan. 3. They defeated Bethel-Tate 35-32 Jan. 14 at home and host Williamsburg Jan. 31.

“If we win out our league games, we’re guaranteed a championship,” Moore said. Clermont Northeastern last won a league title in 2022-2023, sharing with Williamsburg. Beyond that, the Rockets have never advanced beyond the sectional level in the postseason, which is one of Moore’s goals. This year, Clermont Northeastern is a Division V school and currently ranked ninth in the 14-team Southwest District South pool.

To do that, they need to make more shots. Clermont Northeastern was averaging 48.9 points per game and shooting 42.9 percent from the field (22.1 from behind the three-point line). They lead the SBAAC is fewest points allowed, 45.1.

“We (are) struggling to shoot. I’ve always been a defensive coach. Two years ago, we were fourth in the state defensive efficiency, 32 points a game, or something,” Moore said. “So that’s something we always done, but we just don’t have that dynamic scoring, so we’ve got to match up with teams that are hot. It’s just tough for us to put the ball in the basket.”

If they can get the shots off, there’s a pretty good chance Yeager will be there to grab a rebound.

“We just, we ride through him. I’ve been riding him for four years now, and he’s taken us a long way,” Moore said.

Past the 1,000 mark – twice.